1. (1) Branch campus. Branch campus means a unit of an institution located at a place other than the institution's principal center or another degree-granting institution, at which the institution offers one or more curricula leading to a certificate or degree. The SUNY Master Plan must be amended to include the branch campus and must be approved by the SUNY Provost. Chancellor and Board of Trustees, as well as the Education Commissioner. the Board of Regents and the Governor.
2. (2) Extension center or interinstitutional center. Extension center means a unit of an institution located at a place other than the institution's principal center or another degree-granting institution, at which the institution does not offer any curricula leading to a certificate or degree, but at which the institution either conducts more than 15 courses for credit or has more than 350 course registrations for credit in any academic year. Approval of the SUNY Provost and the Education Commissioner is required.

3. (3) Extension site or interinstitutional site. Extension site means a unit of an institution located at a place other than the institution's principal center or another degree-granting institution, at which the institution does not offer any curricula leading to a certificate or degree, and at which the institution conducts no more than 15 courses for credit and has no more than 350 course registrations for credit in any academic year. No special approval is required.

   (b) Exceptions (pursuant to Ed CR 54.2).

   The following shall not be subject to the provisions of subdivision (a) of this section:

4. (1) units of New York institutions located outside the State or on territory over which the Federal government has asserted exclusive jurisdiction;
5. (2) registered clinical or field curricula, or components or courses of registered curricula, where such curricula, components, or courses require special facilities unavailable at the principal center;
6. (3) courses offered for credit by a degree-granting institution to secondary school students within a secondary school;
7. (4) courses or curricula offered by an institution within a correctional facility;
8. (5) courses or curricula offered by an institution on the territory of a Native American reservation; and

9. (6) other off-campus offerings for credit which the commissioner determines warrant exceptional treatment.

   (c) Support services.

   The services normally afforded to students and faculty at the principal campus center shall also be afforded to students and faculty in off-campus credit activities, to the greatest extent possible. This includes appropriate instructional facilities: access to library resources, access to advisement, financial aid, counseling and other support services, and procedures for faculty hiring, orientation, evaluation and participation.

   (d) Application process.

   Application forms, guidelines and assistance with pursuing extension center or branch campus approval should be obtained from the office of the SUNY Provost.

   (e) Establishment procedure.

   The establishment of branch campuses or extension centers for an institution shall be considered by the SUNY trustees for approval and incorporation in the master plan when:

10. (1) the college trustees and local sponsor or sponsors endorse the establishment of the additional campus or center;
11. (2) the local plan for development of the new campus or center indicates an administrative structure that includes a responsible chief administrative officer at each campus site;
12. (3) a tentative educational plan for the campus or center has been developed on the basis of a local area study of the need for such campus;
13. (4) a preliminary budget and fiscal plan to finance the campus or center is adopted by the college trustees and the local sponsor or sponsors;

14. (5) a permanent site for operation of the campus or center is approved by the college trustees and the local sponsor or sponsors.

    (f) Programs, certificates and degrees.

    Organized for-credit academic programs at branch campuses shall be evaluated and accredited as institutional operations on their own merits, in accordance with the policies and procedures of SUNY and the relevant regional accrediting agency. Graduates of programs of multiple campus community colleges shall be granted certificates and degrees by the college trustees upon the recommendation of the principal campus faculty and administration, in consultation with the faculty and administration of the branch campus.

    (g) Budget procedure.

    Any college establishing a branch campus pursuant to this section may submit a separate operating budget for each such campus for the organization year and the first two fiscal years in which students are enrolled. For each fiscal year thereafter, the college shall submit a single consolidated operating budget for all its campus locations.

15. (h) The chancellor or designee may develop and issue appropriate guidelines and procedures for the implementation of this section.

    (i) Community college service area.

    Where the location of a branch campus, extension center or extension site is outside of the local sponsorship area, the provisions of subsequent section 601.5 of this Part shall apply.

(a) Definitions (pursuant to Education Law, section 207 and State Education Department Regulations, Part 54, section 50.1).